


In Plain Sight - Part 1

by Chimera (Lucky7)



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29378847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky7/pseuds/Chimera
Summary: A drabble of an event after the S2 finale.This is an alternate view to having Djarin take up the mantle of The Manda'lor.  In this version Bo-katan is not an ally and the Mandalorian has taken an agonizing step away from his Creed in the effort to hide from his many pursuers...
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	In Plain Sight - Part 1

“We’re wasting our time,” grouses Koska, stirring her soup for the umpteenth time. There is definitely another leaf hidden in its depths. She is determined to find it. “And who puts Corinth leaves in their soup anyway! The stuff's inedible!”

Bo-Katan searches the eating establishment again, far less interested in its cuisine than its customers.  
“Probably a local recipe. Maybe the yokels like the bitter taste,” she responds absently, finally catching the eye of the proprietor in the far reaches of the dining area. She waves the woman over to their table.

Koska shoves her bowl to the center of the table as a final critique of the local dish. "Should have expected this. The place is practically in the middle of nowhere. Like most of the habitats on this planet". 

Mimicking her companion, she surveys the dinning room. It's a spartan area, functional but lacking any frivolous decorations. There are but few customers scattered among the tables...and from their attire she can only surmise the place is a favorite for farmers and their families. Or maybe it’s the only place? In any case, the locals seem to be enjoying themselves with much chatter and laughter.

The exception is a table behind them which has but a lone diner, quietly partaking of a meal of soup and bread. She glances at the table's occupant, noting his appearance and what is apparently the standard uniform for the area: a hand woven, dull, monochromatic tunic, paired with even duller trousers. With his back toward her she has no view of his face, but it is probably as weather beaten as those of the farmers she can see.

Koska shakes her head. This whole trip is just pointless! "Why would he choose to come here? And how would he get here?” she asks.

Bo-Katan ignores her. Koska had been unhappy from the start with Bo-Katan’s determination to check out this location...but it was not her decision to make. They had arrived some time ago, surveying the environment for any evidence that their quarry would have chosen to hide out among the local inhabitants. The town is but one of several they had visited, one among the few that appears to be a center of activity on what is mostly an uninhabited planet. No star port, no industrial center, no population density. According to Koska's description, just a real backwater skug hole!

Unremarkable...but for the recently discovered evidence that a guild bounty hunter - now missing - had activated a location fob on this planet. Since the rogue guild member and the asset he stole would have fetched a high bounty, it is likely Djarin and the child that the hunter had been after.

And that means there is always the possibility the Mandalorian will have come back here. At least it’s what Bo-Katan hopes. Familiarity often fosters a sense of safety...however illogical that is. 

"Is everything all right?" askes the proprietor. Having been summoned by Bo-Katan, she is now nervously wiping her hands on an apron of dubious cleanliness. It is apparent the establishment seldom saw any off-world visitors and the owner is anxious to please new customers. "I can bring more soup..."

"No! In fact, this soup is..." starts Koska.

"Thank you. This soup is fine, " interrupts Bo-Katan, slipping into her diplomatic persona. "But what I need is some information, if you please." The woman's nervousness increases, evidenced by the now wringing of her hands. Bo-Katan continues, "Have you seen any people like us here lately? Wearing armor such as these..."

The proprietor looks from one to the other, her uneasiness at being questioned by off-worlders very obvious. Or maybe it is the aggressiveness emanating in waves from Koska, who is still silently fuming over the inedible soup. Bo-Katan kicks her companion under the table, fully aware that answers will not be forthcoming from someone leery of the questioners. 

"It might have been recently...a Mandalorian in full armor? An all Beskar armor? He would have been hard to miss..." Bo-Katan prompts.

The proprietor glances from one to the other again. "Oh. Yes. But not recently..." she begins hesitantly. "He was here some time ago. With a child."

"And not since?"

"No. Not that I remember."

Koska snorts her disbelief, even though shortly before she herself had questioned why Djarin would have chosen such a backward location to hide. Bo-Katan holds the woman's eyes for seconds before the latter looks away. She too has her suspicions as to whether she is being told the truth. But what more can she do? If the locals choose to close ranks...

"Thank you. And the soup was delicious”, she says. The owner offers a wan smile and leaves.

"She's lying!" Koska snarls. "She knows something!"

"Maybe. Or she is so scared of us that it just seems that way."

Bo-Katan stands, fishes the required credits from her belt and tosses them on the table. Hopefully the generous tip will help assuage any animosity that might arise from this meeting. The Mandalorians need cooperation from local populations, not more negativity attached to their tribes...though it is doubtful much information finds itself off-world from this back-of-beyond. 

They will simply have to keep looking. At some point they will find Djarin and then that icon of power, the Dark Sword, will become hers again...one way or another! 

Koska gives the offending soup bowl one more glance and follows Bo-Katan out of the establishment, neither Mandalorian having heard the relieved sigh from the customer at a nearby table.

Slowly the lone diner retrieves a small silver ball from his tunic, one he had hurriedly hid when the new customers entered the dining establishment. Placing it in front of his bowl, he continues to eat, stares at the ball and thinks about the past...

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first TV series since “Person of Interest” (which ended 5 years ago) that has interested me enough to write another fanfiction. Perhaps it’s because I tend to be drawn to the same type characters and John Reese and Din Djarin have similar traits: both can be described as anti-heroes, though both are basically moral beings in spite of both being very proficient killing machines. Both are trying to do the right thing in a violent world/universe…and paying for it emotionally.


End file.
